Cragside Part I
Built by inventor and arms manufacturer William Armstrong and his wife Margaret, Cragside became a place of pioneering experimentation and was the first place in the world to be lit with hydroelectricity.
The property first started out as a small sporting lodge in 1863 and expanded over three decades. Its pleasure gardens were developed into a grand fantasy landscape that were both beautiful and functional. They also incorporated the incredible iron bridge into the gardens, which was manufactured in the Elswick Works and transported in bits to Cragside where it was constructed in situ. The bridge was designed by the owner of the estate, Lord Armstrong, who wished to provide walking access from the house to the formal gardens.
Cragside became a showcase of engineering prowess and became a Victorian vision of the future.
Illuminated by hydro-electricity and powered by hydraulics, this pioneering home was filled with Victorian gadgets for efficient modern living. It was essentially Britain’s original smart home.
Que locura que Cragside ya fuera "smart home" en la época victoriana, con hidroelectricidad e hidráulica en 1863. En mi experiencia, Armstrong entendió antes que nadie que innovar en el propio terreno es la mejor carta de presentación. ¿La foto del puente de hierro es la que se armó en piezas traídas desde Elswick Works?
Que locura que Cragside ya en 1863 fuera la primera casa del mundo iluminada con hidroelectricidad, un adelantado total Lord Armstrong. Las fotos del puente de hierro transportado en piezas me dejaron pensando en la logística de la época.